


Cherry Tomato

by aplbunny



Series: Morning Distractions [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 17:19:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6338209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aplbunny/pseuds/aplbunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which you and Lovino find yourselves in the position of soon-to-be-parents. However some complications make things a bit more stressful than you originally thought.<br/>Follow up to Morning Distractions - Don't read unless you've read that first! I mean, you could, but, that would ruin it a bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Bella.”

You groaned grumpily into your pillow, your body shifting away from the source of the noise that was rudely interrupting your sleep.

“(Name), _bella_ , it’s time to get up,” an amused voice said with a chuckle. You grunted in response and pulled your blankets around you tighter in hopes of protecting you from the events you knew would quickly ensue. Your retaliation elicited a weary sigh, and you felt the bed dip as new weight was added beside you.

“Alright, if you want to play this game, so be it,” the voice warned close to your ear, causing you to tense up and grip your blankets closer. 

In one fast motion your sheets were ripped off of you, causing you to gasp loudly as cool air came in contact with your warm skin. Your hands flailed about blindly, your right hand quickly catching the soft material that had once been wrapped around you, and you snatched it in a death grip and pulled it towards you. You heard a laugh come from above just as the sheet was ripped mercilessly from your fingers and thrown to the foot of the bed, where they landed in a soft pile, completely useless. 

You cracked open one eye to glare at the culprit, his hands placed on his hips and a victorious smirk plastered on his handsome features. The midday sun filtering in through the curtains highlighted his brunette locks, bringing out a reddish hue, as well as shining off his hazel eyes making them gleam. You groaned once again and hid your face in your pillow. Damn him for looking so sexy even after doing something so unforgivable. 

“What the fuck Lovi,” you whined, your voice muffled by the pillow under your face. 

“You’ve slept half the day away already, you need to get up at some point,” Lovino said with a grin as he crouched down next to the bed. “Plus, we have to go to Feliciano’s picnic-thing later today, and we both know how long it’s going to take you to get ready.”

“But I barely slept at all last night,” you whimpered. “And my back hurts. And my legs. I don’t want to get up.”

“ _Si_ , I know, but you can’t just lie in bed all day.”

“Watch me,” you said with a teasing grin, causing Lovino to frown.

“(Name)—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” you moaned as you propped yourself up with your arms slowly before getting into a sitting position and throwing your feet over the edge of the bed. “I was just joking Lovi, no need to pout. I’m getting up, see?”

“Good. Here, let me help—”

“Lovi, I’m fine.”

“But—”

“Lovino, really, it’s very sweet that you want to help, but I _can_ get out of bed on my own,” you said as you stood from your seat and walked to the bathroom after giving him a peck on the cheek. “If you really wanna help me, you could make me something for breakfast—I mean lunch.”

“Well, what do you want?”

“Hmmm,” you hummed thoughtfully as you tied your hair back. “I don’t know. Pancakes? Pancakes sound pretty good.”

“You and your pancakes,” Lovino said with a chuckle as he headed towards the kitchen.

“Thank you~” you sung happily. You quickly washed your face and brushed your hair before throwing on something comfortable and heading downstairs to the kitchen, where the heavenly smell of pancakes and bacon filled the air. “Ohhhh my Gooood, it smells _amazing_ ,” you said as you lazily draped your arms over your husband’s shoulders as he faced the stove, flipping yet another perfect pancake.

“ _Grazi_ , I hope they meet your expectations,” he said with a smile.

“They always do!” you chirped happily as you headed to the kitchen table, only to see that it was already set and silently waiting for food. “Aww...Lovi, setting the table is _my_ job,” you pouted. Not that you minded of course, I mean who _really_ enjoys setting the table, but since Lovi was already making breakfast you thought you could do at least that much.

“Not today it isn’t. Food’s done, take a seat and I’ll bring it over,” he said as he finished up his work. You did as instructed, seeing as there was nothing left for you to do, and waited as he set plates of bacon, pancakes, toast, and strawberries on the table.

“Yay! Strawberries!! How did you know?!” you squealed in delight as you reached over and grabbed one of the bright red berries and popped it into your mouth. You sighed in content as it exploded over your tongue, the sweet and somewhat tart juice waking up your taste buds.

“Well, you’ve only been begging for them for the past two weeks,” he said with a laugh as he sat down, serving you and handing you your plate before starting on his own.

“You’re so sweet, I don’t deserve you,” you said softly as you took a bite and hummed. “And the food is perfect, just as I knew it would be.”

Lovino sent you light glare. “Stop saying that shit, you know I don’t like it,” he muttered in response.

“But the food _is_ perfect, I’m only stating the truth,” you said as you batted your eyelashes, feigning innocence.

“You know what I mean, (Name),” he said sternly and you rolled your eyes.

“I was only kidding Lovi, lighten up! I’m the only one who deserves your amazing cooking and adorable pouts,” you said with a smile as you continued eating. Lovino let out a grunt in response, his face flushing.

“I do _not_ pout,” he grumbled as he bit into a strawberry.

“Do too!! Can you pass me the pancakes? And the bacon?” you asked as you bounced in your seat, eyeing the two plates excitedly. 

“What? But I gave you eight pancakes and six pieces of bacon! You can’t seriously be done already and still be hungry,” he said in disbelief as his wide eyes looked over to see your empty plate. 

“Of course I can!” you said proudly as you tossed another strawberry into your mouth, a smile spreading across your lips. “I am pregnant after all.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ _Bella_!! How are you?!” Feliciano exclaimed loudly as he threw his arms around you. Or at least attempted to, seeing as your large belly got in the way. You smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek in greeting.

“Feli! I’m doing great! It smells wonderful, I can barely keep myself from running over there and digging in!” you said with a laugh as you gazed at the large picnic table on the grass piled with plate after plate of food. 

“ _Si_ , this was a great idea, having everyone bring a few plates; it makes it so much more fun!” Feliciano agreed as he turned to look at the table as well. Feliciano’s back yard was one to envy, the perfectly manicured green grass was soft under your feet and the beautiful flower garden surrounding them added vibrant color to the scene, as well as attracting hordes of butterflies that flitted from one flower to the next. Lovino came up beside you, his eyes scanning the table as well. 

“Yea, well, as long as I don’t have to eat any damn potatoes—”

“ _Fratello_!” Feliciano cried as he dove at Lovino, clinging to him like a monkey. “I didn’t see you there behind the bella! Welcome!” he greeted happily, unaware of the angry scowl on Lovino’s face. 

“I’ve been here the whole fucking time, you _idiota_! And don’t call her that!” he yelled as he tried to pry his brother off him with little success. You laughed as you watched the two of them, only to be interrupted when you felt an arm sling itself around your shoulders.

“ _Hallo, frau_! How’s it goin’?”

“ _Mon cher_ , you are looking lovelier zhan ever, I see,” another voice chimed in from behind you.

“ _Si chica, muy hermosa_ ,” said another.

Bending your head back your eyes met Gilbert’s red orbs that looked down at you, before you turned to see Francis and Antonio heading your way with drinks in hand.

“Hey guys! Thanks for the compliments, but you know I look like I swallowed an oversized beach ball,” you said with a grin as you placed your hands on your stomach and laughed.

“Vhat?? No vay (Name), you look hot as alvays!” Gilbert argued.

“ _Oui_ , do not say such zhings, you look stunning! Woman glow during pregnancy, and you are no exception. In fact, you look much better zhan most,” Francis added.

“They’re right! You look great!! But _not_ as great as you would if you were walking with _me_ instead of whitey over there,” Antonio teased as he looped his arm through yours and began leading you to the food.

“Hey! Me und (Name) look _AWESOME_ togezher!” Gilbert complained as he strode over and took your other arm.

“ _Non_ , you are both wrong! (Name) would look perfect beside _moi_ ,” Francis proclaimed as he appeared before the three of you, producing a red rose from God-knows-where and offering it to you gracefully. You giggled and took the flower from his hands.

“You three never stop, do you?” you asked in amusement. 

“Vhatever do you mean, _frau_?” Gilbert asked innocently. 

“Hey! You bastards, back off!” 

The four of you turned to see Lovino stalking towards you, Feliciano trailing behind him like a puppy, a happy smile on his face despite being yelled at by his short tempered brother. 

“Lovi! I missed you!” Antonio cried as he jumped at the Italian, only to miss as Lovino quickly sidestepped and glared at the fallen Spaniard.

“Ohh, nice one!” Gilbert applauded and gave him a thumbs up.

“Aww, _Lovi_ ,” Antonio whined as he looked up with puppy dog eyes. You laughed at the scene before you let out a startled gasp, your hand flying towards your stomach as your eyes widened in surprise. Five sets of startled eyes shot to you at your outburst.

“(Name), are you alright?” Lovino said quickly as he pushed past Antonio and made his way to your side. The other four stared at you anxiously as they waited for your response, only receiving a light laugh from you and a wave of your hand.

“No no, I’m fine. Just a sharp kick is all,” you said with a smile. “I think someone is getting hungry.”

“ _Oh mon dieu_ , don’t scare me like that,” Francis said as he let out a relieved sigh along with Antonio. Gilbert simply chuckled and gave you a large smile. 

“Vell if zhe kid vants food, zhen ve better give it to him!” he said loudly, leading the group to the large table.

“Gil, we don’t know if it’s a boy yet,” you said with a grin as you followed him, Lovino close at your side and the others trailing behind.

“ _Ja_ , but it’s a 50-50 chance!” 

“I don’t know which one would be better, a little niño or a cute little chica...” Antonio said thoughtfully.

“ _Oui_ , it’s a very difficult zhing to decide,” Francis agreed. 

You rolled your eyes as you grabbed a plate and headed to the end of the table, the boys continuing to argue over the baby’s gender. After discussing it, you and Lovino had decided you wanted the gender to be a surprise, though you had to admit the suspense was killing you. You were running very close to your due date and you couldn’t help but feel nervous. This was your first child after all, you had no idea what to expect, except for the pain you knew came along with childbirth. You did your best to push the worrying aside and save it for the day of, but now that you were getting close to the predicted date, you couldn’t help but be anxious.

“Yo, (Name)!” a loud voice called, startling you and pulling you from your thoughts as you looked up to see Alfred and Arthur heading your way, Matthew tagging along behind them.

“Hey! How are you?” you asked as you set your plate down and opened your arms for hugs. Alfred went first, his arms circling around you carefully and giving you a light squeeze before stepping back and allowing the other two their turn.

“We’re doing very well love, and how about you? How have you been feeling?” Arthur asked as he glanced down at your stomach with a smile.

“Pretty good! I will admit that this big thing does get in the way, but other than that I’ve been fine. Lots of kicking today,” you muttered.

“Oh, oh! Can I feel?!” Alfred yelled excitedly as he shoved Arthur aside, who growled and muttered ‘stupid git’ under his breath.

“Do you mind if I feel as well?” Matthew piped in gently, his soft violet eyes gazing at your stomach. You laughed and nodded as you took their hands. It had been a bit strange at first to have people putting their hands all over your stomach when you had first felt the little kicks, but now it didn’t bother you at all. You welcomed the attention, always excited to see the looks on people’s faces when they felt the baby move.

“Of course you can. Now let’s see,” you said to yourself as you placed their hands on your stomach strategically. “Usually I get a few here and here, so we’ll see who gets kicked first,” you said with a giggle.

“Fuck yea! I’m so ready, come on little dude, come at me!” 

“Alfred, you shouldn’t swear like that in front of the baby,” Matthew chastised.

“Oh shit! I mean crap, uh...darn?...Sorry (Name),” Alfred apologized as he look up at you. 

“It’s alright, I haven’t been censoring much, I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” you laughed. “Plus, I doubt Lovino will be swearing any less when the baby is born, so I won’t be shocked if their first word only consists of four letters,” you said with a sigh. Maybe you could get a swear jar...who were you kidding; there was no way Lovino would agree to something like that.

“I certainly hope that doesn’t become the case,” Arthur said as he stood beside Matthew, who suddenly jumped before a smile lit up his face.

“(Name), I felt it!” he said excitedly. 

“What?!? Aw man, no fair!” Alfred whined.

“Put your hand here,” Matthew instructed as he placed Alfred’s hand where his used to reside. A moment later you felt another small movement and Alfred’s face broke out into a huge smile as he cheered.

“Yea!! That’s awesome! Do it again, do it again!” he yelled loudly, causing you and Matthew to laugh.

“Alright, let’s leave (Name) alone, she needs to eat something. She is eating for two after all,” Arthur said as he sent you an apologetic grin.

“Oh yea, sorry, I bet you're starving!” Alfred said as he stood up straight and grabbed a plate for him and the other two. You nodded as you picked up your own, your eyes staring at the heaps of food greedily.

“I sure am! You guys better get some stuff quick, cause I’m not sure how much is going to be left by the time I’m done.”

“What?! You can’t eat that much, can you?” a new voice piped in and the four of you turned to see Matthias and the rest of the gang heading your way.

“Can too! I ate like twelve pancakes and a whole pack of bacon this morning, and I’m still hungry,” you stated to the group, most of which gaped in response.

“No way!! You ate that much!?” 

“I find that very hard to believe, (Name),” Lukas said.

“It’s true! Ask Lovi,” you said as you turned to look for your husband, only to find him stuck in a three way embrace with Gilbert, Francis, and Antonio. Feliciano and Ludwig were watching in amusement as Lovino cursed and struggled to get free. “Well, you can ask him later when—” You stopped mid-sentence with a gasp as a sharp pain struck you, causing you to drop your plate and grip your midsection tightly. 

“(Name)?” Matthias said quickly, the group’s gaze quickly leaving Lovino and settling onto you.

“What's wrong, are you okay??” Matthew added as Alfred went to your side and put a supporting arm around you.

“N-No, I’m fine, I think it was just a strong kick is all—” Another painful cramp caused you to cry out and your knees to buckle, Alfred quickly grabbing you to keep you from falling. “O-Okay, maybe not,” you said between your teeth.

“Someone get Lovino,” Arthur said sternly as he came to your other side and rubbed your back soothingly. “It’s alright love, take a deep breath.”

“(Name)?! What’s wrong, are you alright!?” Lovino yelled as he pushed his way through the group of friends who were looking on with concerned expressions.

“L-Lovi, I’m okay, it’s just—” your heart dropped as something wet hit your legs. “Oh my God,” you whispered, your eyes growing wide.

“(Name)—”

“L-Lovino,” you stuttered as your eyes flashed up to his fearfully, “m-my water just broke.”

Silence fell on the group as they stared at you, their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide in shock. And then the dam broke. Yelling and orders were shouted across the yard as Lovino took Arthur’s place beside you along with Alfred.

“Okay (Name), don’t panic, we’re going to help you to the car, alright? Can you walk?” Lovino asked seriously. You chuckled quietly, thinking that you were the last person who needed to be told not to panic as you watched the backyard turn into a circus of frantic men. This did not include some bewildered and confused new party arrivals who stood with plates of food in hand as they watched the scene unfold. Heracles, who usually looked as if he were about to fall asleep on the spot, stood ramrod straight and stared at the yard with questioning eyes, along with Kiku and Ivan, who both shared a worried look. Hopefully someone would fill them in as to what was going on at some point. 

Pulling your gaze away from the three, you turned your focus back to Lovino who was sending you a concerned look at your silence. “Yea, I can do that,” you answered as the three of you started back towards the car, Antonio and Feliciano running to catch up.

“Lovino, do you need us to do anything?” Antonio asked quickly.

“You could get me another plate of food,” you joked.

“Got it, anything else—” 

You interrupted him suddenly with a loud yell as another shock of pain hit you. 

“Hold on _bella_ , we’re almost there!” Lovino said as the three of you made it to to the driveway and you stumbled to the side of the car. Alfred opened the door to the back seat before dashing off to meet Arthur and Matthew, while Lovino helped you in before running around to the other side and opening the driver’s door.

“Fratello, you sit with (Name), I’ll drive,” Feliciano said quickly, taking Lovino’s place and sliding in behind the wheel. Doing as suggested, Lovino slid in the back seat beside you, grabbing your hand and squeezing it tightly.

“Deep breaths, (Name), I’m right here,” Lovino said gently as he kissed your head. You gave him a weak smile and gripped his hand tighter, letting out another pained groan as another contraction hit you.

“We’ll meet you guys at the hospital,” Antonio called as he ran to his own car, the rest of your friends doing the same. 

“Here we go!” Feliciano called as he backed out of the driveway and hit the gas, the car shooting forwards and pressing you and Lovino into the back of your seats. 

“Oi! Try not to kill us with your shit driving before we get there, you _idiota_!” Lovino yelled as he held you close, causing you to laugh as Feliciano apologized quickly, yet still keeping the car moving faster than what you were sure the speed limit dictated. Closing your eyes you took deep breaths and forced yourself to calm down. This was it, the moment you had been waiting nine months for. It didn’t matter if you were ready to do this or not; the baby was coming.


	2. Cherry Tomato

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 of Cherry Tomato!

The hospital doors flung open as Lovino pushed you and your wheelchair into the lobby, your face twisted in pain as you gripped your stomach tightly. You had tried to compose yourself and relax, but the pain was excruciating and you were sure that if someone didn’t help you soon, you were going to pass out.

“I-I need some help! My wife needs help, now!” Lovino yelled as they pulled up to the counter.

“Sir, calm down, tell me what the problem is—”

“What does it look like the problem is, my wife’s going into fucking labor!” he shouted as Antonio, Gilbert, and Francis came through the doors and hurried to them.

“Sir, there is no need to be so rude—”

“If you don’t get some help for her right now, you’re going to be dealing with something a lot worse than this,” he said darkly, his eyes burning holes into the woman’s head.

“Lovino, stop it,” Antonio said sternly as he placed a firm hand on Lovino’s shoulder before turning to the nurse with a smile. “It would be really great if we could get some help immediately, our friend is in a lot of pain and—”

“ _Someone get me some fucking pain killers_!” you screamed loudly, startling the four men whose gaze shot from the nurse and down to you. Gilbert and Francis quickly bent down beside you as they tried to distract you, Lovino and Antonio looking back to the nurse desperately. 

“As I was saying, she’s in a lot of pain, could we get a doctor?” Antonio said quickly. The woman said nothing as she waved to another nurse and directed his attention to you while she picked up the phone and began calling for an obstetrician. The male nurse headed over to them quickly and motioned for Lovino to step aside.

“Sir, if you don’t mind, I’ll wheel your wife to her room—”

“I think I’m going to stay here and you can just tell me which way I need to go,” Lovino stated, leaving no room for argument, causing you to roll your eyes despite your pain.

“Lovi, don’t make so much trouble for the staff.”

“No, it’s perfectly fine! This way,” he said as he started for another set of double doors. Lovino followed after him quickly, the other three following close behind.

“Where’s Feli? I thought he drove you here,” Antonio asked.

“He’s dropping the car off,” Lovino answered. “Hold on bella,” he muttered to you quietly and you gave him a nod, putting your hand over his and giving it a squeeze as another contraction sent pain ripping through you. As you reached the double doors a voice rang through the room.

“Only immediate family can go with the expecting parents,” the head nurse called.

“Why the hell can’t they come—”

“It’s all good, ve’ll just vait out here,” Gilbert said with a grin, giving the two of you a thumbs up. “You got zhis, frau!! Get zhat kid out here so I can godfazher zhe hell out of it!” he yelled and gave a fist pump.

“I thought we discussed that _I’m_ going to be—”

“Non, clearly it is _I_ who will be zhe child’s godfazher,” Francis said quickly as he flicked his golden hair over his shoulder dramatically, causing you to laugh. Antonio and Gilbert both looked as if they had something more to say to that, but Antonio seemed to push his feelings aside as he looked back to you and Lovino.

“Regardless, we’ll see you two soon!! We know you can do it chica!” he said with his bright smile, the other two nodding in agreement. You smiled and waved back, Lovino simply muttering under his breath in irritation, as the two of you turned and continued out of the waiting room.

Walking past the doors, the nurse led you to your room and handed you a hospital gown for you to change in, before leaving to get more help and the necessary tools. You quickly changed into the flimsy gown and, with the help of Lovino, managed to get into the bed. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked worriedly, his hand holding yours as he watched you try to overcome the pain. You smiled at him and laughed.

“Like shit,” you muttered before crying out again at another contraction, your head pushing into the pillows as you tried to block out the horrible feeling. The door suddenly opened and a doctor followed by several nurses rushed in. 

“Alright Mrs. Vargas, let’s take a look and see how everything is going,” the doctor said as he walked to the end of the bed. A few nurses had placed your legs in stirrups and under normal circumstances you would be red from head to toe in embarrassment that another person, especially a man, was about to do work between your legs. But the immense amount of pain you were currently in kept you from dwelling on the thought too much. “Let’s see...well, I’m a bit surprised that you’ve come this far already, it looks like you’re almost completely dilated!” he announced cheerfully. “That means we can start pushing. Are you ready?”

“W-wait, right now??” you asked in disbelief. This was happening too fast, wasn’t there supposed to be a few hours of waiting and more pain before you reached this point?? “I-I don’t know, I’m not ready—” you rambled as panic began to set in. It wasn’t like you had a choice in the matter; the moment you had been waiting nine months for was finally here, and it wasn’t as if you could stop and get off the ride. This was happening whether you liked it or not, but that didn’t make it any easier to come to terms with. 

“(Name), it’s alright, you can do this. I’m right here,” Lovino said encouragingly as he squeezed your hand and kissed your head. You focused on his large hand that gripped yours, the warmth of his fingers reassuring you of his presence. Giving his hand a hard squeeze, you took a deep breath. This wasn’t going to be easy or fun, but you knew that with him next to you everything would be fine. Exhaling loudly you looked up at Lovino and gave him a small smile before looking at the doctor and sending him a hesitant nod. 

“Alright then, give me a big push!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“L-Lovi, I can’t, I can’t do this anymore,” you panted as you fell into the bed, your chest heaving as you gasped for air. On top of the pain, you were now completely exhausted, your hair plastered to your head with sweat and your body feeling as if it were made of lead. You had been at it for more than three hours, and you knew you couldn’t do it for much more. _Holy shit, and there are women who are doing this for 14 hours or more?! Women are terrifying_ , you thought to yourself as you opened your eyes wearily to stare at the ceiling. 

“Come on (Name), you can do it, I know you can,” Lovino said next to you.

“No! I can’t!” you yelled, your eyes turning to glare at him. “This is all your fault! Do you know how much fucking p-pain I’m in right now?! Everything hurts you asshole, it’s all your damn fault, you-you stupid tomato loving bastard!!” you cried. You heard Lovino chuckle, which only enraged you more. “What’s so goddamn funny?!”

“You’re so cute when you get mad,” he said as he smiled at you. “I know, it’s all my fault, I’m a horrible man, and when this is all over with you can beat me bloody. But I know you can do this, (Name), you are so strong, I know you can do it. You’re almost there, just a few more pushes,” he said as he wiped your hair from your face. 

“He’s right, (Name), I can see the head, you’re almost done,” the doctor agreed.

You growled in frustration and fought the urge to punch something. You weren’t in the mood for pep talks, you were tired and in pain and all you wanted to do was go home and sleep in your bed and be done with this. And as much as you wanted to hate Lovino for putting you through this, you loved him too much to feel anything but guilt for snapping at him. And it didn’t help that he hadn’t gotten mad and had sent you a sweet smile and complimented you instead. You made a mental note to apologize to him when this was all said and done.

 _I can do this,_ you thought to yourself, _I need to do this. Stop whining and pull yourself together!_

You took a few seconds to calm yourself before gritting your teeth and letting out yet another loud scream as you pushed and pushed for what seemed like the millionth time, the pain tearing through you almost making you stop until you heard it. High pitched wailing filled the room and you felt Lovino tense up beside you.

“Congratulations, it’s a boy,” the doctor announced as he handed the baby to one of the nurses, who quickly got to work cleaning him and wrapping him in a blanket. 

“A boy...did you hear that, (Name), it’s a boy,” Lovino said excitedly. “You did such a good job, _bella_ , I love you so much. Thank you,” he said as his lips landed on your own for a short sweet kiss. You smiled up at him and sighed, falling back into the bed as you tried to slow your racing heart. 

“Mr. Vargas, would you like to hold your son?” one of the nurses asked with a smile as she approached him with a small blue bundle. He could only nod as the nurse carefully handed him the baby. His eyes filled with tears as he looked down at him, his gaze never wavering as he spoke.

“(N-Name), he’s so beautiful...his face is so red and he’s so tiny....like a _pomodoro di ciliegia_ ,” he half whispered with an elated smile on his face as he stared down at the child at his arms in awe.

Despite your exhaustion you managed a smile and closed your eyes, letting out a quiet chuckle. “Does everything...have to revolve around...tomatoes?” you joked lightly. You saw his face redden as a small embarrassed pout formed on his lips.

“S-shut up, ragazza,” he muttered gently, his eyes still trained on his ‘ _pomodoro di ciliegia_ ’.

“(Name),” the doctor spoke suddenly and you opened your eyes to look down at him, your eyebrows narrowed in confusion. “I need you to take a deep breath and give me a big push.”

Now your eyebrows were up in surprise as you stared at the man in white in shock. He wanted you to do _what_? Not only did the request make no sense, but there was no way that you had the strength or energy to do that again.

“What? But—” You grunted as another sharp contraction ripped through your stomach, causing you to let out a pained cry, quickly gaining Lovino’s attention.

“(N-Name)? What’s going on, what's wrong?” he asked as he rushed to your side.

“Push (Name)!” the doctor yelled again, and you didn’t hesitate to follow his instructions, letting out a yell as you pushed again, though it was much harder to do the second time around. You seriously deserved a medal and some amazing sweets when this was all over.

“Why is she doing this again, I don’t understand,” Lovino asked, but was interrupted as you let out another painful scream with your next push. 

“Come on (Name), one more big push, _one more_ , you can do it!” the doctor encouraged. Gritting your teeth and shutting your eyes tight, you took a deep breath and pushed as hard as possible, a loud yell filling the room as you did so, only to be stopped at the sound of more crying. Lovino’s eyes only grew as he listened to the new scream.

“What the _hell_ —”

“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Vargas,” the doctor say with a smile. “It’s a girl. You have twins.”

“ _Twins_?!” Lovino yelled in shock, his eyes bigger than dinner plates as he stared at the second baby being fussed over by the nurses. He looked down at you and a huge smile appeared on his face. “Twins! Bella, we have twins!” he said with a laugh as tears once again formed in his eyes and he grabbed your hand, bending down to smother your face with kisses. He must have given their son to one of the nurses during the commotion, seeing as they were now empty.

“Twins...” you whispered with a smile. “They didn’t say...anything about...twins...” you muttered tiredly.

“Sometimes one baby hides the other and it isn’t until birth that it becomes clear that the woman is carrying two,” the doctor explained. “Would you like to see your daughter, Mr. Vargas?”

Lovino looked down at you, as if asking for permission, which you granted with a nod, before he released your hand and took the small pink bundle in his arms. “Oh (Name),” he said, his voice breaking as he looked down at her, “she’s perfect. I’m so proud of you, thank you. Thank you so much,” he cried as he looked down at you, tears falling from eyes that held so much love for you.

You felt yourself tear up as well as you looked back at him and then at the child in his arms. _Our child_ , you thought. _Our children_.

“C-can I hold them?” you asked quietly. You didn’t think you would have to ask, seeing as usually they hand off newborns to their mothers fairly quickly after childbirth, but since you had yet to hold either one you couldn’t stop yourself from inquiring.

“Of course bella, let me get the nurse so you can hold them both,” he said as he stepped away from the bed after giving you a quick kiss. You watched him as he walked over to one of the nurses holding your son, his eyes lighting up again as he look at him and then to your daughter. 

You smiled as you watched him, but you jumped as an uncomfortable sensation made itself present between your legs. Your eyes narrowed in confusion. _What, is there a third one stuck in there too?? God help me, I don’t think I can go at it a third time_ , you thought fearfully as you looked up to see Lovino receiving a blue bundle in his right arm, the pink blanket secured tightly in his left. 

“Lovi—” You tried to call out to him, hoping he could get the doctor, but you were cut off with a gasp as your vision began to blur, the hospital room becoming unfocused and fuzzy as you blinked your eyes slowly. The heart monitor beside you started beeping rapidly, keeping in time with your own racing heart as your head began to spin. You tried to call to Lovino again, but sharp pain shot through you and you let out a cry as you gripped the stale white sheets beneath you.

“Doctor, her blood pressure is lowering!” 

“L-Lovi?” you finally gasped as the room spun, your eyes searching for him desperately through the blurred figures.

“(Name)?! What’s going on?!” he yelled frantically as he took your hand. His arms were empty again, and your heart ached at not being able to see your children. That was all you wanted at the moment and you could hear yourself muttering so as Lovino called to you loudly. He yelled to the staff again, but he received no response as the doctor and his nurses began speaking rapidly.

“Heart rate is spiking — she’s hemorrhaging!” the doctor announced loudly in a serious tone. As your feet were freed of the stirrups and placed hastily back on the bed, you noticed the sheets were warm, but very wet.

“What’s going on, what do you mean she’s—w-where’s all that blood coming from!?” Lovino yelled, his voice rising as panic set in.

“Sir, we need you to leave. Please go wait in the—”

“Like hell I’m leaving! (Name) can you hear me?! What’s wrong with her?!” he demanded. You almost managed a smile at his stubbornness, but the pain in your lower region was increasing and you couldn’t stop the spinning in your head.

“Mr. Vargas your wife is hemorrhaging, we need to treat her before she loses too much blood. Please wait outside,” the doctor explained quickly, keeping his focus on you as he worked to try to stop the bleeding.

“I’m not leaving her!” Lovino yelled loudly, his grip on your hand tightening. “(Name), I’m right here, okay? It’s going to be fine, you’re going to be alright,” he said to you gently as he bent down by you and placed several urgent kisses to your forehead. You managed a weak nod, relieved by his presence. 

“Lovi, t-the babies, I want to see them, are they o-okay? Where are they?” you asked anxiously. 

“They’re fine, bella. It’s going to be fine, I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you, ti amo,” he said as he placed his forehead to yours.

"You need to leave, now!" the doctor yelled again. "If you refuse to do so willingly, I will get security to escort you out themselves!"

"Lovino!" 

You recognized the Spaniard’s voice though you couldn't see him, having closed your eyes as the spinning was becoming you much for you.

"A-Antonio, what the hell—"

"I heard the commotion from the waiting room and I came to see if everything was alright—" he broke off as he noticed the blood stained sheets, his eyes growing wide.

"Mr. Vargas, you need to leave! You there, by the door," the doctor said as he looked to Antonio, "if you do not remove Mr. Vargas from this room immediately I will call security!" he threatened. Antonio sent Lovino a wild look of confusion and concern, before crossing the room in three quick strides and taking Lovino by the arm.

"Lovino, we need to go, we need to let the doctors do their job," he said calmly as he began to pull him towards the exit.

"Get off me! I'm not leaving!" Lovino yelled, but was too focused on you to put up much of a fight as Antonio dragged him to the door. 

"Call and prepare an operating room," Lovino heard the doctor order as they made it outside. 

"O-operating room?" Lovino muttered to himself as he stumbled into Antonio, who steadied him by the shoulders and sent him a concerned look.

"It's going to be alright, Lovino—"

They watched as the nurses ran out of the room wheeling out your bed followed by the doctor. Lovino audibly choked back a sob as he saw your pale face and the bloodied bed sheets.

"NO! (Name)!" he yelled as he started after them, only to be held back by Antonio. "Let go of me! S-she needs me— _I need he_ r! Let me _go_! (NAME)!!" he screamed as you disappeared around a corner.

"Lovino!! Calm down!" Antonio said sternly and he shook his friend’s shoulders. "Calm down, take a deep breath—" Lovino shoved him off harshly as he stared down the hallway, his hands hanging helplessly at his sides. 

"(Name)..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lovino stared down the empty hallway as his heart plummeted into his stomach, his body beginning to shake. He allowed Antonio to guide him to the chairs lined up against the wall and he took a seat, his unfocused gaze staring into space as Antonio's hand pressed against his shoulder.

"Lovi, I'm sure it'll be fine, (Name) is a tough girl," he said encouragingly.

"I can't..." Lovino paused as he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes, his elbows resting on his knees as he bent over. The images of blood and your weak voice hit him again. It had happened so fast, he hadn’t even had time to fully take in the situation. "I-I can't lose her, Toni. I need her, I-I can't do this without her. W-what am I going to do Antonio?!" he sobbed, his shoulders heaving up and down as he cried. He had never felt so completely helpless before. You were suffering, your life in the balance, and he could do nothing but sit and wait. There was nothing he could do to help you, to take away the pain, or to keep you safe. He had promised he would stay with you and protect you, and here he was, sitting in an empty hospital hallway, while you were lying on a surgery table and bleeding out. “I failed, I left her, she’s all alone and I can’t do a damn thing about it!!” he screamed, sending a few hospital staff into the air at the loud and angry outburst. 

“Lovino, stop that right now, you know this isn’t your fault,” Antonio said sternly. “And think about what (Name) would say if she heard you say that. She would smack upside the head for even thinking—”

“But she’s not here!” he yelled harshly, his head snapping up and his hands falling from his face and balling up into fists. Antonio had never seen him look so distraught in his life, his eyes bright red and puffy, tears still falling down his cheeks and off his chin as he stared up at him. He looked so helpless, like a child who was lost and didn’t know where to go. “She’s not here to smack me upside the head, or to tell me it’s going to be alright—she’s laying on a cold slab of metal while doctor’s try to sew her back up so that she doesn’t die on the operating table!!” he screamed, his fists unfurling and flying up to grip his head once more as he bent forward again. He gasped as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, and he looked up to see familiar brown hair and flyaway curl.

“Fratello, it’s going to be alright,” Feliciano said softly as he hugged him tighter, a small smile on his face. “(Name), wouldn’t want you to worry about her like this, she would be very angry,” he said happily.

“F-Feli...” Lovino stuttered.

“Antonio was taking a long time to come back, and I knew something was off,” he added quickly as an explanation. 

“He’s right Lovi, you’re just wearing yourself out,” Antonio agreed as he ruffled his hair, a soft smile on his face. Wiping his eyes, Lovino took a deep breath and nodded, knowing they were right. The anxiousness in his heart hadn’t faltered, but at least he had calmed down enough to handle his emotions.

“Y-you’re right... _mi dispiace_ ,” he apologized quickly as he covered his face with his hands.

“Don’t apologize, your reaction is completely understandable,” Feliciano said with a smile as he stood back and smiled cheerfully at his brother. Lovino rubbed his face and took one more deep breath before speaking.

“Alright...let’s go,” he said as he stood, running his fingers through his tousled hair.

“Go? Go where?” Feliciano asked as he shared a curious glance with Antonio, their eyebrows raised.

“To the waiting room,” he replied simply, before turning and heading down the hallway he had first entered through, the other two men hurrying after him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The waiting room was a scene of commotion as the large group of men talked animatedly. 

“Where’s Antonio? He’s been gone forever, and now Feliciano is missing too,” Matthias said to Lukas, who simply shrugged, though the crease between his brows indicated that he too was concerned.

“M-Maybe we should head back there, it sounded like something happened,” Matthew said. Gilbert nodded and stood from his chair.

“Ja, somezhing’s not right, ve need to go see—”

All conversation stopped as the doors busted open loudly, sending the men to their feet as they turned and watched as Lovino walked in, followed by Antonio and Feliciano. Their anxiety grew as their eyes took in Lovino’s disheveled appearance. His face was serious, his bloodshot eyes hard and his lips pressed into a firm line.

“L-Lovino...” Arthur said as his wide eyed looked mirrored the rest of the groups.

“What’s wrong, what happened?” Alfred asked as Lovino stood stiffly before them, his eyes falling to the ground before rising to meet the group. His hand reaching up and scratching the back of his head as a small smile pulled at his lips.

“...It’s a boy,” he said, causing the room to explode in cheers and high-fives until Lovino cleared his throat. “...and a girl.”

“Vait, vhat?” Gilbert asked, his face scrunched up in confusion.

“ _Oui_ , which is it? It can’t be both...can it?”” Francis asked.

“I think it can...sort of...” Heracles muttered to himself thoughtfully.

“Fratello, I don’t understand, what do you mean?” Feliciano asked from beside him. He and Antonio had been too focused on calming Lovino down that they hadn’t taken the time to ask about the baby.

“I mean it’s a boy and a girl. We had twins,” he said with a grin. It took a minute for the information to sink in before the room erupted again, much louder this time, with shouts and congratulations, the horde of men running to give Lovino hugs and even the occasional hair ruffling, much to Lovino’s displeasure.

“Then what’s the problem?” Arthur said, interrupting the celebration, and all eyes glanced at the Brit before falling back on Lovino. A lump lodged itself in Lovino’s throat and his eyes began to mist over, causing him to curse internally. He had already broken down in front of Antonio and Feli, he didn’t want to do it again in front of everyone else. But when it came to (Name) he found he wasn’t really in control of his emotions. 

The group seemed to notice this, the tension in the air becoming palpable as they began to realize something was seriously wrong.

“I-It’s (Name),” he managed to say, as he glared at the white tiled floor. His hands shook and he balled them into fists in an attempt to steady the tremble, but knew that it wouldn’t do much. “It was too much for her body...s-she hemorrhaged, there was so much blood—” Images from the hospital room came back and he grit his teeth. The men around him watched him with pale faces, their looks of joy turned to looks of fear and horror at the news. “She’s in surgery, they’re trying to fix it but—” Covering his face with his hands again, he fell into one of the chairs and took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. (Name) wouldn’t want to see him like this.

“Dude, it’s gonna be alright! (Name)’s a tough chick, she’s gonna pull through this!” Alfred said as he patted Lovino’s shoulder comfortingly. 

“Ja, don’t vorry, she’ll be out of zhere in no time!” Gilbert added.

“ _Oui_ , zhey are right.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be okay,” Matthew chimed in quietly. 

“The doctors know what they are doing, I’m sure that she will be fine,” Lukas added calmly from beside Matthias who nodded.

“You guys...” Lovino looked up to see his friends smiling down at him and let out a small smile in return. “Thank you—”

“Sir?” Lovino turned around quickly to see the same nurse from earlier glaring at him, her arms crossed over her chest. “You need to tell your friends to go home, they’re making too much noise and taking up room,” she said harshly, her gaze falling onto the large group of men and sending them a dark look. At this, Lovino stood up and confronted her, his face set in a look of anger and fury.

“They will do no such thing, they’re staying,” he responded curtly.

“It’s alright, ve understand,” Ludwig said stepping forward, Kiku nodding in agreement from beside him.

“She’s right, we have been here for a long time—” Arthur tried to say, but was cut off by Lovino.

“No! They aren’t leaving! This is _my_ family, and they have every right to stay if they fucking want to!!” he yelled loudly. The room fell silent as the group stared at the Italian in surprise and shock, some staring with their mouths hanging open at the sudden outburst.

“Lovi...” Antonio whispered, a large grin pulling at his lips.

“Ve didn’t know ve meant so much!” Gilbert cried as he tackled him to the ground.

“W-what the hell—GET OFF ME!” he yelled, only to be attacked by the rest of his family as well, causing him to curse and blush madly as they gushed over him. Antonio and Feliciano watched quietly with smiles.

“I’m so glad he’s feeling better. I’ve never seen him so...” Feliciano trailed off. Antonio nodded in understanding.

“They’ll pull through this. (Name) isn’t going anywhere without a fight. And Lovi won’t let her go without one either,” he said with a chuckle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Mr. Vargas?” 

All heads shot up and every set of eyes fell on a round nurse standing at the door of the waiting room, a clipboard in hand and stern look on her face. It had been more than an hour since Lovino had arrived with the news about the twins and your complication, and after the group had calmed down they couldn’t help but begin to become nervous and impatient as they waited for news on your condition. Lovino had left several times to go check on the twins, but seeing as they were both sleeping he had returned to the waiting room, not wanting to bother them. The sight of the poorly cleaned floor still stained with blood left Lovino nauseated and he tried his best to avoid entering the scene as much as possible.

“Y-yes, here,” Lovino stammered as he stood up quickly and hurried over to the nurse. She glanced over his shoulder at the numerous men who watched their every move. She rolled her eyes and looked at Lovino.

“I take it they’re all with you?” she asked.

“Yes, all of them,” Lovino replied hurriedly with a nod. “Now, tell me—”

“Hold your horses! Goodness, you are quite impatient, aren’t you? And bossy,” she said with frown, causing Lovino to growl and half of the group to jump to their feet, all wearing their own looks of displeasure.

“Listen up, _bitch_ —”

“ _Lovi, be nice to the pretty nurse_ ,” Antonio cut in quickly, putting a restraining arm around him and giving his shoulder a hard squeeze in warning. He could tell from the looks on the rest of the men’s faces that they did not sit well with the nurse’s attitude. Had he not stepped in when he did, he was sure the rest of the group would have marched over and given the middle aged woman a piece of their minds as well, and gotten themselves kicked out. 

“Well, I’m glad _someone_ around here is civilized,” she said with a huff. “Anyways, Mr. Vargas, husband of (Name) Vargas, correct?” she asked again. Lovino swallowed and forced himself to stay calm. It was as if the woman was trying to put him through torture. What, was she going to make him run a lap and beg on his knees for an hour before she finally told him the results?!

“...Yes. I am,” he said slowly as he tried to control his rage. This fucking woman was going to get it if she didn’t start speaking soon.

“Good. Now, the results on your wife,” she said as she flipped through the papers on her clipboard, the sound of silence heavy in the air as everyone waited with baited breath. “Her hemorrhaging, that means her bleeding,” she said as if they were all completely incompetent, “has been stopped. It looks like the surgery was successful. She needed a blood transfusion, but is otherwise in good health and will require rest and—”

The rest of the nurse’s words went unheard as the room was filled with cheers once again and Lovino released the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, almost collapsing into Antonio as he let out a weak laugh and covered his face with his hands. The group ran over and gave him hugs, which he surprisingly allowed, and a few even hugged the nurse, who shrieked in annoyance and hit them with her clipboard before dashing off through the doors and disappearing, leaving the men to rejoice. 

Forcing his way through the mass of people, Lovino pushed himself through the double doors and ran to the room he had been avoiding all day. His chest was heaving and he was panting heavily by the time he arrived, his trembling hand opening the door and stepping inside as his eyes fell on the hospital bed, your slumbering form still under the sheet, save for the slow rise and fall of your chest.

He approached the bedside quickly, but quietly, noticing that along with you, the twins were also still asleep, their small pink faces relaxed and peaceful and their little hands balled into fists beside them. He smiled happily at the sight, the weight of your absence now lifted off his shoulders, allowing him to fully appreciate and enjoy their presence. Of course he had never blamed either of the sleeping angels for your condition, but with your life in the balance it had been hard to concentrate on anything but getting you back to him safe and sound. 

Pulling up a nearby chair, he sat beside you, carefully taking your hand in both of his, his fingers running across every knuckle gently. Having you next to him made the good news all that more real as he watched you sleep. You didn’t seem to be in any pain, but he couldn’t help but wince at all the machinery and tubes hooked up to you. He knew how much you hated needles, and he hoped that he wouldn’t have to spend an hour or more trying to calm you down when you realized how many were stuck in you. But then again, he wouldn’t have minded doing it at all if it meant that you would open your eyes.

As if hearing his thoughts, you moaned quietly, your eyes fluttering open to reveal sleep-hazy orbs, only for them to shut closed quickly due to the brightness of the room. A moment later they finally opened again and focused on the bleach white ceiling. Groaning at the blinding lights above you, you turned your head and met the wide eyes of your husband. You blinked a few times before letting a sleepy smile spread across your face.

“Good morning, Lovi,” you muttered softly. You watched as his lips parted slightly, but no sound came out as he stared at you. And suddenly his face crumbled and tears welled in his eyes and fell down his cheeks, a choked sob escaping his lips. He released your hand, only to launch himself at you, his arms wrapping around you and pulling you into his chest. His body shook with his muffled cries as he buried his face in your hair, his grip on you tightening as he crushed you to him.

“I’m so sorry, I th-thought-I thought I lost you, I’m so sorry, I love you so much,” he cried as he kissed your hair and your face repeatedly. “Thank God...I can’t do it, not without you, I’m so happy, I love you, I love you so much,” he repeated again.

“L-Lovi...I’m right here, you don’t need to be so upset,” you said as your wrapped your arms around him. “I’m not going to leave you, I’m alright—”

“But you weren’t alright!” he yelled, causing you to jump. “You were bleeding (Name), there was so much blood, and you were in pain and I couldn’t do anything! I could only sit there and watch as they wheeled you away from me, and I couldn’t do a goddamn thing!” He was shaking, his whole body trembling as he held you and you looked up to see his face twisted in pain and frustration. His eyes were bloodshot and he didn’t bother to stop the tears that rolled down his cheeks. Reaching up towards his face, your fingers brushed them away and then stopping to cup the side of his face as you smiled up at him.

“But I’m alright now, see? I’m talking and everything. I’m also pretty hungry too,” you joked quietly. “You don’t have to apologize Lovi...I don’t expect you to be able to save me from everything. Sometimes things get messy and life throws you unexpected obstacles. It’s not always going to be pretty, but that’s why I have you,” you said as you smiled up at him warmly, the tears in his eyes drying as he looked down at you. “I need you to support me and give me the courage and strength when I need it, just like I would do the same for you. Do you think I could have popped out one baby, let alone two, without you here by my side? You gave me the strength to push through it, even though it was hard and painful, because I knew you were there for me. I made it through because I love you and I need you. You may not have thought that you were able to protect me, but without you standing by my side, I don’t know if I would be here at all,” you whispered.

He stared at you for a long moment before a weak smile tugged at his lips and he bowed his head in defeat.

“You really are something else, aren’t you?” he murmured.

“I like to think so,” you replied. “But I’m mad at you, you know,” you said in mock anger, causing him to look up quickly. “I never got my kiss,” you said as you pointed to your lips. He chuckled at the sight and bent down, placing his lips gently on yours.

“I love you so much,” he whispered.

“I love you more,” you replied.

“I doubt it,” he said smugly before kissing you again, his arms holding you close to him. The feeling of you in his arms made him feel whole, like he had been missing a part of himself and had finally found his other half. The moment was cut short, however, as you broke away quickly, your eyes suddenly going wide as your hands gripped at Lovino’s arms tightly.

“L-Lovi, the babies! Where are they, I-I haven’t seen them—”

“Calm down, _bella_ ,” he muttered softly, his hand stroking your hair soothingly. “They’re right over there sleeping,” he said as he guided your attention to two small clear bassinets on the other side of the bed. Your eyes widened as you shifted quickly in order to see them, but stopped as you hissed in pain. Lovino cursed under his breath before carefully pushing you back into the pillows at the head of the bed. “Don’t force yourself, I don’t want you back in surgery again—”

“I-I need to see them! Please Lovi, I haven’t seen them yet, please...” Your eyes began to water as you stared at the small beds, your desire to see them, to touch them, to hold them, so overwhelming you were about to jump right off the bed and get them yourself, regardless of the pain it might put you through.

“Shhh, calm down love, you can see them, I’ll bring them to you, alright? Don’t cry, _bella_ ,” he said softly as he kissed your forehead. You nodded in response, your eyes still trained on their makeshift cribs as he got up and approached them. He carefully picked up a blue bundle first, your son, and turned to you and gently placed him in your outstretched arms, before quickly doing the same with your second child. 

You couldn't’ stop the tears as they fell down your face and you laughed quietly as you looked down at the two sleeping babies in your arms, your heart swelling with so much love and care. They were finally a family, all together and happy, just like it was supposed to be. You looked up at Lovino to see him looking down at you with the same heartwarming smile.

“Look at our family,” you whispered tearfully, your eyes falling back down to your two children, unable to get enough of their slumbering faces. You felt Lovino wipe his thumb under your eye as he brushed aside a tear.

“Our perfect little family,” he agreed as he carefully sat down on the edge of the bed with you, his arms wrapping around you and pulling you close. You rested your head on his shoulder as the two of you watched them sleep. You were finally with the three people you loved most in the world, and nothing had ever felt so right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Lovi!” you called loudly from the kitchen, your mitted hands flying into the oven as you pulled out another pan of lasagna. “Did you pick up the balloons? And the cake?” 

After a storm of swearing and grumbling, your husband stumbled through the door, an extremely large cake towering before him and several dozens of balloons trailing behind him. He shuffled forward, more than a few curses falling from his lips as he tripped over the numerous balloon strings that wrapped around his leg and dragged across the wooden floor with every step. 

You suppressed a laugh at the sight, but couldn’t hide your smile as he quickly but carefully set the large decorative cake on the counter, before angrily trying to untangle himself from the mess of strings and clingy balloons. You burst out laughing when his frustration got the better of him and he stood red faced in the doorway, his arms folded tightly over his chest and balloons sticking to his clothing, his hair standing up straight due to the static.

“Oh Lovi, you look ridiculously cute,” you said between laughs as you made your way over to him, pulling away balloon after balloon as he finally untangled himself with a huff.

“Goddamn pieces of shit, why the hell do we need these fucking things?” he muttered angrily.

“Because they’re pretty and go very well with birthday parties,’’ you explained as you fixed his shirt and hair and gave him a kiss. “Plus, there will be a few unhappy campers if there aren’t any.”

“I really don’t think they would notice, they’ve just turned one,” Lovino said gruffly and you laughed.

“I wasn’t talking about them so much as I was a certain group of three...” you said as you glanced around the kitchen doorway and peeked into the living room.

“Liliana, _mon chérie_ , you are looking so fabulous today, abzolutely stunning,” Francis said dramatically as he played with the light brown ringlets that sprung off your daughter’s head. She watched him silently with large mocha orbs, the pink pacifier in her mouth bouncing as she sucked on it happily. “I cannot get over zhese little bows,” he continued as he adjusted the lacy white ribbons in her hair. “ _Mon dieu_ , you are too cute!”

“Awww look at her little cheeks! They look just like Lovi’s did when we were niños!!” Antonio cooed as he brushed his fingertips against her rosy cheeks, causing her to giggle and wave her little fists in the air. “But Lovi wasn’t as cute as you are! No, he wasn’t!” he said as he picked her up and held her over his head, causing her to laugh loudly as her pacifier fell from her mouth and hung from the cord that attached it to her dress.

“Look out!! Awezomeness coming zhrough!!” a loud voice called from the hallway and they all watched as Gilbert ran in. “Zhe two most awezome men have arrived!” he announced as he stopped beside his friends, your son hooked under his arm like a sack of potatoes and staring up at Antonio and Francis with large eyes and a wide smile. 

“Gilbert!! You can’t carry a baby like zhat!!” Francis yelled in horror as he quickly stole the child and held him carefully in his arms, his hands quickly but carefully fixing his ruffled curly hair. “Marcello, did zhis ‘orrible man do anyzhing to you?” he asked seriously, but only earning a loud laugh in response.

“Vhat?! He’s fine!! I vas doing an awezome job vatching him!!” Gilbert argued as he crossed his arms before becoming distracted by a sharp tugging pain. “Ow! Vhat zhe hell - ah!! Hallo kleine!” he said with a smile as he looked at the little culprit who had grabbed a fistful of his snowy hair. “Your hair zhings are looking very awesome today!” he announced with a laugh as he flicked the lacy bows in her curls lightly.

“I think she likes your hair,” Antonio commented as Liliana grabbed at his head with her other hand, her little fingers pulling at the fine strands and causing Gilbert to yelp.

“Ja, but so do I, so make sure you don’t pull it all out!” he said with a chuckle as he untangled himself from her grip and patted her on the head. “She likes me because I’m awezome! Und because I’m her godfazher,” he added quickly.

“ _Quoi_? What was zhat?” Francis asked as his blue eyes slid over to meet ruby red ones. “I zhought I ‘eard you zay zhat you were ‘er godfazher, which we know iz not true—”

“Si, because we all know that I’m the godfather of both,” Antonio cut in as he bounced Liliana in his arms, who was looking between the three men with a toothless smile.

“No, I’m zhe godfazher!”

“No, they like me more, it’s me!”

“Non, you are both wrong—”

“Shut the hell up!” Lovino yelled as he glared at them.

“Lovi!! You’re back!” Antonio said cheerfully, the argument quickly forgotten. “Did you get the balloons?!”

“Und zhe cake?!” Gilbert asked loudly, causing Lovino to grumble and stomp back into the kitchen.

“How’s is it going in here? How are my little tomatoes?” you cooed as you walked in and kissed your daughter on the head and blew a raspberry onto Marcello’s cheek, causing him to shriek with laughter. They had the same brown hair as Lovino, complete with their own little misbehaving curl to boot, though their locks seemed to be much curlier than Lovino’s overall. Their eyes were also the same odd hazel color of green and mocha brown, though your daughter’s eyes sometimes seemed to take on more of a green shade than her father and brother’s. Lovino had been disappointed that they hadn’t shared any physical resemblance to you, at least not yet, but he always said that they had your smile and happy personality. 

“Do you want him back?” Francis asked as he bounced Marcello lightly in his arms. You pouted as you gave his chubby little cheek a kiss and stood straight. 

“I wish, but I still need to set up the food outside, so if you don’t mind...”

“Non, of course not! I love zhis little one, he is alvays on his best behavior!” Francis said as he cuddle your son closer.

“Too bad Lovi didn’t act this good when we were kids, we always got into so much trouble,” Antonio said with a sigh, causing Lovino pop his head around the corner, his face turning red.

“T-That’s not true! It was your damn fault for messing with me!” he argued.

“Okay, no fighting, no fighting! This is a birthday party!!!” you said excitedly.

“Yo! Anyone home!?” a loud voice called from the front.

“Alfred, you git, don’t scream!” another voice said harshly and you heard a loud smack.

“Ow! Mattie, he hit me!” Alfred whined.

“Well, you did sort of deserve it.”

“What?!”

“ _Ciao_! Where’s my little bambinos?!” a new voice called as the door opened and shut once again.

“In here guys!” you called and the group shuffled in.

“(Name)! What’s up?!” Alfred said loudly as he barreled across the room and tackled you in a bear hug.

“ _Bella_!!” Feliciano sang as he too jumped on you.

“Oi! What the hell is wrong with you idiots?! Get off!” Lovino growled as he grabbed them by their collars and yanked them off you.

“Aw man, but it was a group hug!” Alfred complained.

“Fratello, you’re no fun,” Feli cried before his gaze fell onto Antonio and Francis, who still held the twins, and his eyes sparkled. “Ahh!!!! My bambinos!! Zio Feli is here!!” he said happily as he rushed over and scooped them up and spun them around the room, their laughs filling the air as he did so.

“Where do you want the food love?” Arthur asked as he walked up with Matthew who held a large bowl of fruit.

“You can just put it on the picnic table out back, if you don’t mind. I’ll be there in a second,” you said as they headed towards the back door and you turned to look at the trio. “Hey, would you three mind taking food out? I need to get the cake and the presents and—”

“Don’t vorry, ve got you!” Gilbert said as he saluted and darted into the kitchen. 

“Si, don’t overwork yourself chica, if you need help just say so,” Antonio said as he and Francis joined their friend and began bringing plates of food and kitchenware outside.

“Vhere do you vant zhe presents, (Name)?”

You turned to see a stack of gifts floating before you and your eyebrows shot up.

“Ludwig? Is that you?” you asked. His head peeked around the large stack and his frosty blue eyes met yours as he nodded.

“Ja. Feliciano dropped all of his gifts by zhe door...and zhen I have mine as vell...” he mumbled softly. You giggled and grabbed a few of the brightly wrapped boxes.

“Follow me and we’ll get these things dropped off.”

You pushed opened the sliding screen door leading to the backyard and ushered Ludwig through, before showing him to a large table designated for gifts and placing the boxes down.

“Is everyone here yet?” he asked as he did the same.

“Not yet, but I’m sure—”

“(Name)!” 

You shrieked as you were hugged tightly from behind, your feet lifting off the ground in the process, and you laughed.

“Matthias! Don’t scare me like that!” you said he let you go and you punched him in the arm lightly.

“Aw, but your reaction was price—” He gagged as Lukas grabbed his tie.

“My apologies, (Name),” he said. “It seems I let my attention drift from him for more than a second.”

“No, he’s fine. I’m so glad you all made it!” you said as you gave the Norwegian a hug and smiled at the rest of the group who had caught up.

“Of course, we would never miss it,” Emil said, Berwald and Tino agreeing as they nodded. At the sound of loud laughter, you and the group turned to look at Feliciano, who still had the twins in his possession and was running around the yard.

“Look at how big they’ve gotten!” Tino said happily.

“I’m surprised they both have his hair and eyes,” Lukas said. “I was expecting at least one of them to look something like you.”

“Yea, but they clearly have her personality,” Matthias said. “I mean, can you guys even picture Lovino acting like that?”

“Well, let’s pray that they don’t inherit his vulgar language and short temper,” you said with a sigh, though there was a smile on your lips. 

“So (Name),” Matthias said casually. “Have you guys figured it out yet?”

Your gaze drifted from your children as you gave the Danish man a confused look. “Huh?”

“Well, you never did decide,” Lukas added.

“Ja, zhey’re right,” Ludwig said and the other three nodded.

“Oui, zhis has been going for more zhan a year now. I zhink it’s time you two settled it once and for all,” Francis said as he, Gilbert, and Antonio made their way over to you.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you said with a nervous laugh.

“Oh, I zhink you know _exactly_ vhat ve’re talking about, _frau_ ,” Gilbert said with a smirk.

“Do you hear that? Is that Lovino? You know what, I think he needs me,” you said as you quickly pushed past the trio and dashed across the lawn towards the house, the herd of men hard on your heels.

“Oh no you don’t, (Name)!” Alfred said as he stepped before you, blocking you from taking a step further.

“Come on Alfie,” you said sweetly. “I thought you were the hero who saves the girl from the group of men, not the villain who corners her.” You could see your words hit home as a look of horror flashed across his face before his determination took over and he stood his ground.

“Sorry (Name), but that won’t work!!”

“You should just give us an answer already, love,” Arthur said as he stood beside Alfred. “It will make things so much easier.”

“Uh, guys, really, this doesn’t have to be an issue—”

“It’s been over a year!!” Gilbert said. “Ve need to know!!”

“I do want to know...” Matthew said quietly and you stared at him in shock. Even Mattie!?!

“What the hell is going on?!” Lovino said as he stood outside the ring of men surrounding you.

“Lovi, you can have your wife back when you have learned your lesson and told us what we want to know,” Antonio said. 

“And what the fuck would that be!?” he fumed, his face turning red.

“You know vhat ve vant Lovino,” Gilbert said with a smirk. “Who’s it going to be?”

“Who’s going to be what?!” Lovino yelled angrily as he threw his hands up into the air.

“ _Who’s the godfather_?!” the group yelled in unison. You and Lovino stared at them in shock.

“The...godfather?” you asked.

“Yes! We’ve been waiting forever, and we want to know!” Alfred said like a child as he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

“You fucking idiots,” Lovino grumbled as his hand made contact with his forehead.

“What? Why are we the idiots?” Matthias asked.

“ _Oui_ , I do not understand,” Francis said with his hands on his hips. Your smile widened and you began laughing, your hand covering your mouth as the men stared at you in confusion. 

“None of you are the godfather,” you managed to say between laughs, causing the group’s eyes to widen.

“Vhat?! Vhat do you mean?!” Gilbert cried.

“Yeah, what the hell?!” Matthias added.

“I don’t understand,” Matthew muttered, his violet eyes narrowing in confusion.

“Are we not good enough? What’s wrong with us!?” Antonio asked desperately.

“N-Nothing, nothing is wrong with any of you,” you said as you began to calm down and sent Lovino a warm look. His face heated up and he looked away angrily before stomping off towards the house, the men’s eyes following him as he did so.

“Did we upset him?” Arthur asked, his eyebrows pulled together. You shook your head.

“No, he’s just embarrassed,” you explained. “None of you are the godfather...because we couldn’t pick one,” you said with a smile. 

“Huh?” Alfred said as he stared at you along with the others.

“We couldn’t pick. How could we? You’re all such great and important friends - no, family,” you corrected. “How were we supposed to pick one person to be the godfather when we wanted to choose all of you?” you said with a laugh. “It was impossible.”

Silence took over as they stared at you slack jawed and shocked, their faces reddening slightly as your words sank in.

“(Name)! You’re so sweet!” Antonio cried as he jumped on you. You laughed loudly as the rest of the group did the same and you fell into the grass.

“Best woman ever!” Matthias yelled conveniently into your stomach, seeing as that was the place he had managed to attach himself.

“You’re as awezome as me, frau!” Gilbert added from your feet.

“Y-you guys!! You know, Lovino was the one who suggested it,” you said with a grin as all eyes snapped up to you. All was quiet for a moment before they roared to life once again and charged the house, the sliding door slamming behind them. A moment later you heard Lovino’s raised voice yell in anger and profanity as the group found him and attacked him with their affection. You laughed as you visualized the sight, Feliciano coming up beside you with a large smile on his face.

“Bella, I have your _pomodori_!” he said as he looked down at the children in his arms, who were reaching out to you with their chubby little hands. You smiled and took them from him, the two of them snuggling into place against your chest.

“They really love you,” you said to Feli, who beamed.

“Si, but they love you more,” he said with a laugh as he patted their heads. The two of you looked up quickly to see a flustered Lovino running from the house, a fearful look on his face as he ran and hid behind you. Your children squealed when they saw him and began trying to climb over you in an attempt to get over your shoulders and to him. Lovino smiled at them warmly, momentarily forgetting why he was hiding, until Antonio’s voice rang through the yard as he exited the house.

“Lovi! Why did you run away?!” he called as he and the group charged at them. “We just want you give you our love!”

“W-wait, wait! Stop! Back off bastards, I’m warning you!!” Lovino cried as he clutched your shoulders and glared at them angrily.

“Kids! I have kids, slow down!” you said quickly and the group came to a sudden halt before you.

“Ah, sorry, _mon cher_ ,” Francis apologized. Liliana reached out to him and clapped her hands happily and he smiled wide as he bent down to her level. “We meet again, _petite fleur_ ,” he said sweetly.

“Wait, wait I haven’t seen them yet!” Alfred yelled from the back as he tried to shove his way through the crowd.

“W-well neither have we, back off!” Matthias countered as he shoved Alfred’s face away with his hands, his glasses going askew and his face becoming squished in the process.

“You’ve grown so big, haven’t you?” Arthur said as he bopped Marcello on the nose lightly, causing the boy to laugh loudly and kick his feet in excitement. 

“The awezome me has been teaching him zhe ropes!” Gilbert bragged loudly. “He now knows how to pick up women und be awezome!” 

“What the hell does that mean?” Lovino snapped from beside you, deciding it was safe to come out of hiding for now.

“It means—”

“(Name), (Name)!” Matthew said excitedly. “He grabbed my finger, look!” 

You glanced down to see that Marcello had indeed gotten ahold of Matthew’s index finger, his little arm pulling at it and waving it around happily as he watched the people around him.

“What?! How come Matthew gets all the attention?!” Alfred whined. “Come on little dude, don’t leave me hangin’,” he pleaded as he waved his fingers around expectantly. As if understanding what he wanted, Marcello grabbed ahold of his pinky finger and smiled up at him.

“Oh my God, if he’s not the cutest baby in the world, I don’t know who is,” he muttered. “Well, besides his sister of course,” he said as he looked to the girl in your other arm, who reached out and grabbed a finger on his opposite hand. “They are identical.”

“Where did they get that curly hair from? It’s incredible,” Lukas asked.

“Lovino’s Nonno, apparently,” you answered. 

“Wait, so does this mean that we all get to be their godfathers then?” Matthias asked.

“It does,” you replied with a smile.

“Ha! I told you I vould be zhe godfazher!” Gilbert yelled as he pointed fingers as Antonio and Francis.

“You idiot, we're just as much zheir godfazhers as you are!” Francis said as he rolled his eyes.

“Ja, but I’m going to be zheir favorite!” he said with a smirk.

“No way, I will!” Antonio said in annoyance.

“Dudes, I think we all know that I’m going to be the favorite,” Alfred said confidently as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Like I’m going to let that happen! I’m going to be way more important!” Matthias added loudly.

The yard erupted in loud arguments and bickering as you and Lovino watched in amusement. Well, you were amused, Lovino looked thoroughly annoyed, but hey, same thing.

“Idiots,” Lovino muttered to himself as he placed his hand on Marcello’s head.

“But they’re our idiots,” you said with a laugh as you watched Alfred charge and tackle an angry Arthur.

“You say it as if they're our kids,” Lovino said with a grimace and you laughed loudly, looking down at your children.

“Well, they are in a way, aren’t they? I mean we act like their parents most of the time. I’d say they were pretty good practice for the real deal.”

“Well at least these two won’t be anything like those bastards, right?” he asked as he bent down and kissed your daughter’s head softly before taking her from you and holding her in his arms. “You two are gonna help papà chase away the stupid idiots, si?” Your daughter babbled in response and your son was too distracted by a wandering butterfly to do the same, his little fingers grabbing at the air as he tried to reach for it.

“Hey, don’t go teaching them that! Teach them how to make pasta or grow tomatoes or something, not how terrorize our friends.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked with a smirk as he wrapped his free arm around your waist and pulled you against him. You rolled your eyes with a smile and returned to watching the large group of men and their antics.

“Hey godfather!” you yelled loudly, causing every head to shoot up and all eyes to stare at you in unison. You suppressed a laugh and smiled at them warmly. “Stop arguing and get your butts over here; we have birthdays to celebrate!!”


End file.
